About Batch.Works
Startup
Launched in 2018
Team of 14
“I was looking for an accountant who was B-Corp.”
A values match, a quick turnaround of accounts and a complex R&D claim submission. Here’s Batch.Works’ story.
Batch.Works is a circular manufacturing startup focused on sustainable production through 3D printing and digital fabrication. Julien started the company in 2018, deciding to leave his career in architecture and exploring decentralised manufacturing.
“In the early days, I was part of the stationery trade show that’s quite popular in the UK. I had a small booth making pens and pots and stationery LIVE using waste material. I was the only booth making my product with 3D printing. At the very end of the show, Paperchase showed up.”
A huge order from Paperchase left Julien feeling validated, and a period of growth followed. He took on a co-founder in 2020 and adapted to the difficulties of the Covid-19 pandemic by creating visors for the NHS.
We met Julien in 2022 on the precipice of really exciting change.
“We needed a partner in finance where we could have conversations without going through bots or people far away”
Batch.Works had just won a £1.8 million grant. It would be the kick-off for further growth and innovation. Julien knew they had some heavy lifting to do when it came to the accounting, but he was buzzing about the win and optimistic about the future…
…but his accountant at the time – not so much.
Julien wasn’t feeling a match with his accountant and knew that Batch.Works was going to need a specific kind of support to see out its vision. Not only was Julien looking for an accountant who was aligned with the needs and complexities of the sector, he was also conscious of finding support aligned with his values and the sustainability standards he was passionate about meeting with his product.
“We need to gear up for fundraising, need to clean up our accounts. We needed someone who was confident to get those things done. Someone understanding the R&D markets, the grant market, was quite important. Understanding the complexity we were in. I thought: okay, traditionally an accountant is numbers… tax… but not always an understanding of the business vision… Well if it’s a B-corp then surely they’re more understanding. And they can get the same passion/enthusiasm for what we’re doing.”
It was a simple online search that eventually led him to Thrive.
“The biggest win: being able to turn the 2023 accounts around rapidly to achieve a highly complex R&D tax submission without challenge from HMRC”
We supported Batch.Works in submitting three significant R&D tax returns…
- With multiple grants impacting various projects
- Spanning periods in which the R&D scheme changed significantly
- In the context of HMRC placing far more scrutiny on claims
“My learning: there are accountants who care about the business and about who you are. Not just about the numbers.”
When asked what advice Julien would give to founders in a similar situation to Batch.Works, he said:
“Work with Thrive! One of the key pieces of talking to an accountant, I think, is that they’re your mental support for all the finance stuff. Anything that’s not going that well in finance you want to be able to confidently talk to them. That’s probably the most important for me really. Because a start-up…it’s a rollercoaster right!? Having someone be understanding of that, someone who can zoom out and approach the situation from a different angle is really important”
We’ve loved being a part of Julien’s exciting journey and feel proud of everything the Batch.Works team has achieved so far.
But not every B2B tech business will look like theirs.
We work with businesses from Pre-seed through to Series A, and even share helpful advice for early startups who don’t feel ready for an accountant yet. See more about the support you could be getting by visiting our how we work page.